The Role of Parliament in Times of Constitutional Crisis – The Case Study of Poland

Abstract The article analyses the role of parliament in the face of a constitutional crisis, drawing on Poland’s experience from 2015–2023. The issue discussed focuses on the impact of changes to the judiciary and other key democratic institutions, which have resulted in Poland being perceived as a state with illiberal constitutionalism or authoritarian populism. The article emphasises the importance of analysing patterns and scenarios of constitutional crisis, pointing to the ‘avalanche effect’ whereby changes in one country can affect other countries in the region. The paper focuses on the role of the parliament as a key democratic body responding to difficult challenges and attempts to curb violations of the rule of law in Poland. The research objective is to analyse the constitutional mechanisms conducive to the protection of the rule of law during periods of populist rule, and by analysing these aspects, the paper contributes to the debate on the condition of contemporary parliamentarism.